KR20040111448A - Game device, game method, program, and information recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

The connection part 302 of the game device 301 can be connected to the "controller which transmits the status information which designates the current position of a pedal, and the stepping pressure, and receives the instruction information which designates the repulsive force of a pedal." The storage unit 303 stores the time change information of the pedal position and the stepping pressure in advance in correspondence with the game situation, and the acquisition unit 304 stores the time change information stored in advance in correspondence with the current game situation. The controller 305 acquires the pedal so that the difference between the position and the stepping pressure of the pedal specified in the acquired time change information and the position and the stepping pressure of the current pedal specified in the situation information received from the connected controller is reduced. The force to be given is calculated, and command information specifying the calculated force as the pedal repulsive force is transmitted to the controller through the connection unit.

Description

Game device, game method, program and information recording medium {GAME DEVICE, GAME METHOD, PROGRAM, AND INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM}

Background Art Conventionally, a racing game is provided in which a player drives a car as a driver of a car, moves a car in a virtually set world, and enjoys competition with another player or a player controlled by a computer.

In such a racing game, the player operates the steering wheel-shaped controller to determine the direction in which the vehicle travels, and operates the controller in the shape of an accelerator or a brake to instruct the vehicle to accelerate or decelerate and to form a shift lever. Adjust the virtual gear ratio of your car by manipulating one controller.

In such a racing game, the controller in the shape of a brake was configured so that the player could step on it. When the player presses the pedal of the controller, the stepping pressure is felt by the repulsive force such as a leaf spring, an air spring, or a coil spring, and when the pedal is pressed down to a predetermined position, a signal indicating that the brake is applied by pressing the switch is output. It was supposed to be.

On the other hand, in a real car, the stepping pressure when the driver presses the pedal changes depending on the road condition, the condition of the car, and the position of the pedal depressing. You can realize the condition. Also, when driving a real car, the driver feels the inertia force on his body, for example, to realize whether or not the car has accelerated or not.

Therefore, by changing the stepping pressure according to the progress of the game or the current position of the pedal, a technology that enables the player to realize the situation of the road surface in the virtual world, the condition of the car, the acceleration of the car, etc. It is required. In particular, since the game requires real-time performance, it is necessary to execute the operations necessary for controlling such a pedal as fast as possible.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, the game device for controlling the repulsive force by using the information of the position of the pedal and the stepping pressure, a game method, a program for realizing these by a computer and computer-readable recording the program An object is to provide an information recording medium.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a game device for controlling the stepping pressure by using the position of the pedal and the stepping pressure information, a game method, a program for realizing these by a computer, and a computer-readable information recording medium having recorded the program.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The schematic diagram which shows schematic structure of the typical information processing apparatus by which the game apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention is implemented.

2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a brake controller that can be connected to the game device of the present embodiment.

3 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration relating to the functions of each unit of the game apparatus according to the embodiment;

4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of a game method executed in the game apparatus according to the embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing how time change information of a pedal position and a stepping pressure is stored in a storage unit in a game situation.

6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of braking force information stored in a storage unit;

7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen display of a racing game.

In order to achieve the above object, the following invention is disclosed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

The game device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a connecting portion, a storage portion, an acquisition portion, and a control portion, and is configured as follows.

First, the connection unit can be communicatively connected to a "controller which transmits the status information specifying the current pedal position and the stepping pressure and receives the command information". In particular, it is preferable that the repulsive force of the pedal can be specified in the command information. Moreover, it is preferable that the controller connected to a connection part is a controller which emulates the actual brake pedal. However, if the connected controller transmits the status information corresponding to the "pedal position and the stepping pressure" and receives the command information specifying the information corresponding to the "pedal repulsive force", the controller is limited to the controller that mimics the brake pedal. Instead, the controller may be a general game controller. Also, other computers connected via a network can function as a controller as long as the above information is transmitted and received.

On the other hand, the memory unit stores the time change information of the pedal position and the stepping pressure in advance in correspondence with the game situation. For example, in the case of applying the present invention to a racing game, the situation of the game includes various factors that may occur in a real car, in addition to the current coefficient of friction in the virtual world, unevenness, type of car, acceleration, and speed. It is thought that the phenomenon of is reflected in the virtual world. As the time change information, information on how the position of the brake pedal and the stepping pressure of the actual vehicle in the situation changed with time may be acquired in advance, or may be edited appropriately for a game.

In addition, the acquisition unit corresponds to the current game situation and acquires time change information stored in advance. That is, the acquisition unit monitors the progress of the game, examines the current game situation, and acquires time change information based on the current game situation from the storage unit. The acquisition is preferably performed in real time. This time change information includes the elapsed time from the time when the situation of the game is started, and a plurality of sets of pedal positions and stepping pressures corresponding to the elapsed time.

The control unit generates command information from the pedal position and the stepping pressure specified in the acquired time change information, and the current pedal position and the stepping pressure specified in the situation information received from the connected controller, and the command information is generated through the connection unit. Send to the controller.

In particular, it calculates the force to be applied to the pedal so that the difference between the pedal position and the stepping pressure, the current pedal position and the stepping pressure specified in the status information received from the connected controller, becomes smaller, and the calculated force is applied to the pedal. The command information specified as the repulsive force is transmitted to the controller through the connection unit.

In other words, if the position of the pedal and the stepping pressure change exactly the same as the previously obtained time change information, the player can feel the position and stepping pressure of the pedal in the real car. There is a difference between the change information and the actual pedal action of the controller. The control unit calculates the repulsive force given to the pedal to make this difference as small as possible.

As described above, a controller that mimics the shape of a brake is connected to a game device of the present invention, and a controller capable of acquiring a change in the pedal position and the stepping pressure by a sensor or the like and controlling a repulsive force to the pedal is connected. You can control the controller to change as much as possible to the pre-set pedal position and step pressure change. In this case, the player can obtain a realistic feeling of operation of the brake.

The game device of the present invention further includes a braking unit and a display unit, and can be configured as follows. That is, this invention is one of the most suitable embodiment of the said invention, Comprising: The acceleration of the object moving in a virtual world is controlled by the controller connected externally.

Here, the memory unit corresponds to the game situation, and further stores in advance the " pedal position and stepping pressure " and braking force information of the braking force at that time. On the other hand, the acquisition unit additionally acquires the braking force information stored in advance in correspondence with the current game situation. Even in the real world, the effect of the brake changes depending on the road surface, the state of the car, the amount of stepping in the brake, and the stepping pressure. "The situation of the road surface and the state of the car" is "the situation of the game", "the position of the pedal and the stepping pressure" are "the amount of stepping of the brake and the stepping pressure", and "braking force" is "the effect of the brake", respectively Corresponds.

The braking unit obtains the designated braking force corresponding to the current pedal position and the stepping pressure specified in the situation information from the braking force information acquired, and calculates the acceleration of the object moving the virtual world from the braking force. Since the acceleration due to the braking force is an acceleration corresponding to the "effect of brake", it generally acts in the direction of reducing the acceleration calculated by another technique. The velocity of the object is obtained by time integration of this acceleration, and the position of the object is obtained by time integration of this velocity.

The display unit moves the object in the virtual world by the calculated acceleration, and displays the object on the screen by the moved position. For example, if the motion of an object in the virtual world is two-dimensional, the motion of the object is displayed by displaying the state of the entire virtual world and then displaying the object at the position of the object obtained by the time integration. Can be overviewed.

On the other hand, in the present invention, the display unit may be configured to display the virtual world with the position of the moved object as a viewpoint on the screen. In this case, a three-dimensional graphic image in which a virtual world composed of various polygons is viewed from an object is displayed on the screen. For example, when applied to a racing game, the player can be impressed as if he is driving a car and looking at the outside world, such as a racing field.

In addition, the game apparatus of the present invention can be configured to further include an inertial unit. In this case, if the magnitude of the calculated acceleration exceeds a predetermined limit value, the inertia unit corresponds to the acceleration in advance and acquires the set inertia force, and if the inertial force is acquired, the controller calculates the sum of the calculated force and the acquired inertia force of the pedal. It is designated as repulsive force.

Taking a racing game as an example, the case where the acceleration of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined limit value corresponds to the case of rapid acceleration or sudden stop. In such a case, in the real world, the driver feels the inertia force, and the shock thrown in front of the car or the seat is pressed. The inertia unit calculates the inertia force corresponding to such an impact, and the control unit adds this inertia force to the pedal repulsion force.

According to the present invention, for example, in a racing game, a sudden change in the acceleration of a car such as a rapid acceleration or a sudden stop is reflected in the repulsive force of a pedal to allow a player to realize a situation of a vehicle such as a rapid acceleration or a sudden stop, thereby realizing more realistic driving sensation. I can feel it.

A game method according to another aspect of the present invention includes a reception step, an acquisition step, a control step, and a transmission step, and communicate with a controller. In other words, in the receiving step, the status information transmitted from the controller is received, which specifies the current pedal position and the stepping pressure. On the other hand, in the acquisition step, the time change information which is stored in advance in correspondence with the current game situation is acquired, which specifies the position of the pedal and the stepping pressure. It is preferable to perform this acquisition in real time.

In the control process, command information is generated from the pedal position and the stepping pressure specified in the acquired time change information, and the current pedal position and the stepping pressure specified in the situation information received from the controller. In particular, the force is calculated so that the difference between the pedal position and the stepping pressure, and the current pedal position and the stepping pressure specified in the status information received from the controller, becomes smaller, and the calculated force is designated as the pedal repulsion force. Generate command information. In the transmission process, the generated command information is transmitted to the controller.

A program according to another aspect of the present invention includes a computer having a connection portion capable of communicatively connecting with a "controller for transmitting the status information specifying the current pedal position and the stepping pressure and receiving command information." It functions as a game device, or is configured to cause the computer to execute the above game method.

The program of the present invention can be recorded on a computer-readable information recording medium such as a compact disc, a flexible disc, a hard disc, a magneto-optical disc, a digital video disc, a magnetic tape, a semiconductor memory, and the like. The program can be distributed and sold through a computer communication network independently of the computer on which the program is executed. The information recording medium can be distributed and sold independently of a computer.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Embodiment of this invention is described below. In the following, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an information processing apparatus dedicated to a game for easy understanding will be described. The present invention is similarly applied to information processing apparatuses such as various computers, personal data assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, and the like. can do. That is, embodiment described below is for description, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is possible for a person skilled in the art to employ embodiments in which each of these elements or all elements is replaced with an equivalent thereof, and these embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention.

Embodiment of the Invention

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic diagram which shows schematic structure of the typical information processing apparatus which realizes the game apparatus which concerns on one of embodiment of this invention. A description with reference to the drawings below.

The information processing apparatus 100 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 101, a read only memory (ROM) 102, a random access memory (RAM) 103, an interface 104, and a controller 105. And an external memory 106, an image processing unit 107, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) -ROM drive 108, and a NIC (Network Interface Card) 109.

The program is executed by attaching a DVD-ROM storing a program and data for a game to the DVD-ROM drive 108 and turning on the power of the information processing apparatus 100, thereby realizing the game apparatus of the present embodiment.

The CPU 101 controls the operation of the entire information processing apparatus 100 and is connected to each component to exchange control signals and data. The CPU 101 acquires data from each component, processes the data by various operations, and gives each component as data or a control signal. In the CPU 101, various kinds of data are stored in a cache provided by the CPU 101, and acquired in a register provided by the CPU 101. Then, various operations such as arithmetic operations, bit operations, and logical operations are performed. Is carried out.

In the ROM 102, an IPL (Initial Program Loader) to be executed immediately after power-on is recorded. When this is executed, the program recorded in the DVD-ROM is read into the RAM 103, and execution by the CPU 101 is started. . In the ROM 102, programs and various data of the operating system required for the operation control of the entire information processing apparatus 100 are recorded.

The RAM 103 is for temporarily storing data and programs, and programs and data read from a DVD-ROM, and other data necessary for game progression and communication are stored. In addition, various types of information transmitted from various devices connected to the information processing apparatus 100 such as a brake type controller to be described later, and various pieces of information to be transmitted to various devices are temporarily stored.

The controller 105 connected via the interface 104 accepts operation inputs that the user performs at game execution. A brake controller can be connected to the interface 104. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing one schematic configuration of an embodiment of such a brake controller. A description with reference to the drawings below.

The brake controller 201 according to the present embodiment is roughly divided into parts of the base part 202, the leaf spring part 203, the pedal part 204, and the pressing part 205.

The base part 202 is a part used as the base when installing the brake type | mold controller 201 to a floor. The leaf spring portion 203 is disposed on one end side of the base portion 202, and the pressing portion 205 is disposed on the other end side. In addition, since the operation by the foot is generally larger than the force by the hand, even when handled slightly by the foot, the weight is such that it does not fall or move. Alternatively, at the bottom of the base portion 202, a sucker and other members for adsorbing to the floor are disposed, and the entire brake-type controller 201 is fixed to the floor.

The leaf spring portion 203 fulfills the "hinge" function of the pedal portion 204 and the base portion 202. In addition, when the foot is not operated by the player and the pressure is not applied to the pressurizing unit 205, the pedal unit 204 preferably has elasticity enough to maintain a constant posture. As the "constant posture" in this case, for example, the posture when the player presses the pedal unit 204 to the last, or the posture when the pedal unit 204 is farthest from the base unit 202, for example. . In the following description, the case where the latter posture is adopted is considered.

The strain gage 206 is attached to the leaf spring portion 203. The deformation gauge 206 is a sensor that detects how much the outer side of the leaf spring 203 extends or how much the inner side is reduced, and the output of the sensor is the position (angle or posture) of the pedal unit 204. Corresponds to.

The pedal unit 204 is a member for the player to step on his foot. The pressurizing portion 205 is connected to the lower side of the center point where the player puts his foot on the force most. When the pressurizing portion 205 is not pressurized, the angle of the pedal portion 204 is changed only by the elasticity of the leaf spring portion 203 when the player presses on or depresses the pedal portion 204.

The pressurizing unit 205 provides a repulsive force when the player presses the pedal unit 204 by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, the pressure caused by the repulsive force, the stepping pressure when the player presses the pedal unit 204, and the plate. The attitude of the pedal part 204 stops at the position where the pressure by the spring part 203 is balanced. In such a stationary state, in order to return the pedal portion 204 (meaning that the pedal portion 204 is moved away from the base portion 202) than the current posture, the repulsive force assigned to the pressing portion 205 is greatly increased. Do it. If the player wants to press the pedal unit 204 further, the repulsive force assigned to the pressing unit 205 may be reduced.

Since the pressurizing part 205 gives a repulsive force by hydraulic pressure or pneumatic pressure, there exists a constant correlation between the said repulsive force and the pressure of hydraulic pressure or pneumatic pressure. Therefore, when the pedal part 204 is stopped, it can be set as the stepping pressure of the pedal part 204 with the said air pressure or hydraulic pressure.

On the other hand, the pressurizing unit 205 has a built-in pump to give hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, and adjusts the repulsive force to the pedal unit 204 by increasing or decreasing the power to the pump. In addition, in order to know the stepping pressure of the pedal unit 204, a pressure sensor may be separately installed in the pressurizing unit 205. In general, the change in the stepping pressure and the change in the power applied to the pressurizing unit 205 are performed by the pedal unit 204. Since it reacts very quickly to a change of attitude | position, you may set it as an approximation of the stepping pressure (value corresponding to), and the value of the electric power supplied to the pump of the pressurizing part 205, or the value of an electric current. The power supplied to the pump may be supplied from the information processing apparatus 100. When a large power is required for driving the pump, a cable and a connector (not shown) for connecting to an AC power source are separately prepared.

The brake controller 201 further includes an interface for connecting to the information processing apparatus 100 (not shown because it is built in the base unit 202), a cable 207 connected to the interface, and information. It has a connector 208 for connecting to the interface 104 of the processing apparatus 100. The brake-type controller 201 transmits the situation information specifying the current position (posture, angle) of the pedal and the stepping pressure to the information processing apparatus 100 through these, and the repulsive force of the pedal from the information processing apparatus 100 through them. Receive command information specifying.

In addition, since the communication with the brake controller 201 is most suitable for sending and receiving data in byte units or word units, the following values are converted, for example.

(1) The output of the strain gage is properly converted, and the position at which the pedal unit 204 is farthest from the base unit 202 is the value (0), and the position closest to the base unit (202) is the value. The information processing apparatus 100 is notified to be (65535).

(2) The value of the pressure (stepping pressure) of the pressurizing section 205 is appropriately converted, and the value (0) is used when the pressure is not applied and the value (65535) is used when the maximum pressure (the pump is fully operated). The information processing apparatus 100 is notified.

(3) The information processing apparatus 100 appropriately converts the value of electric power to be supplied to the pressurizing section 205, and sets the value (0) when the pump is not running and the value (65535) when the pump is in operation. Notify the brake controller as soon as possible.

In addition, although the example which comprised the press part 205 by the hydraulic or pneumatic mechanism using a pump was demonstrated, you may comprise the press part 205 by various techniques, such as using a motor and belt drive.

Returning to Fig. 1, the external memory 106, which is detachably connected via the interface 104, stores data such as the state of progress of the game in a rewritable manner. The user can appropriately write these data to the external memory 106 by giving an instruction input via the controller 105.

The DVD-ROM attached to the DVD-ROM drive 108 records a program for realizing a game and image data or audio data accompanying the game. Under the control of the CPU 101, the DVD-ROM drive 108 performs a reading process on the DVD-ROM attached thereto, and reads out necessary programs and data, which are temporarily stored in the RAM 103 or the like.

The image processing unit 107 processes the data read from the DVD-ROM by an image processing processor (not shown) provided by the CPU 101 or the image processing unit 107, and then the image processing unit 107 includes the data. Write to a frame memory (not shown). The image information recorded in the frame memory is converted into a video signal at a predetermined synchronous timing and output to a monitor (not shown) connected to the image processing unit 107. As a result, various image displays are possible.

The image computing processor can perform transmission and various saturation operations such as superimposition and blending of two-dimensional images at high speed. In addition, high-speed execution of the operation of rendering polygon information arranged in the virtual three-dimensional space to which various texture information is added by the Z-buffer method and obtaining a rendered image that looks down the polygon arranged in the virtual three-dimensional space from a predetermined viewpoint position. It is possible. In particular, the function of calculating the degree to which the polygon is reflected by a typical (plus) light source such as a point light source, a parallel light source, or a conical light source is made into a library or a hardware so that it can be calculated at high speed.

By cooperative operation of the CPU 101 and the image computing processor, it is possible to draw a character string as a two-dimensional image in the frame memory or to each polygonal surface in accordance with font information defining the shape of the character. The font information is recorded in the ROM 102, but it is also possible to use dedicated font information recorded in the DVD-ROM.

The NIC 109 is for connecting the information processing apparatus 100 to a computer communication network (not shown) such as the Internet, and conforms to the 10BASE-T / 100BASE-T standard used when constructing a local area network (LAN). Analog modems for connecting to the Internet using telephone or telephone lines, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) modems, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Linec (ADSL) modems, cable modems for connecting to the Internet using cable television lines, and the like. It is comprised by the interface (not shown) which performs mediation of 101. As shown in FIG.

The audio processing unit 110 converts the audio data read from the DVD-ROM into an analog audio signal and outputs it from a speaker (not shown) connected thereto. In addition, under the control of the CPU 101, sound effects or music data to be generated during game play are generated, and the corresponding sound is output from the speaker. For example, the driving sound, the vibration sound of a car, the sound when the tire is locked, and the like.

In addition, the information processing apparatus 100 may be a DVD-ROM mounted on a ROM 102, a RAM 103, an external memory 106, a DVD-ROM drive 108 using a large capacity external storage device such as a hard disk. It may be configured to accomplish the same function.

3 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration relating to the functions of the respective parts of the game apparatus according to the embodiment. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of a game method executed in the game apparatus according to the embodiment. A description with reference to these drawings is as follows. First, the game device 301 according to the present embodiment includes a connection unit 302, a storage unit 303, an acquisition unit 304, a control unit 305, a brake unit 306, and a display unit 307. And an inertial portion 308.

First, the connection unit 302 can be communicatively connected to a "controller which transmits the status information specifying the current pedal position and the stepping pressure and receives the command information specifying the repulsive force of the pedal". That is, since it is connected with the brake type | mold controller 201, the interface 104 of the information processing apparatus 100 functions as the connection part 302. As shown in FIG.

On the other hand, the storage unit 303 stores in advance the time change information of the pedal position and the stepping pressure in response to the game situation. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing how the time change information of the position of the pedal and the stepping pressure is stored in the storage unit 303 in a game situation. A description with reference to the drawings below.

The storage unit 303 records data of "how to change" the pedal position of the brake controller 201 and the stepping pressure of the brake controller 201 with the passage of time for each game situation. In each row of the table 501, the elapsed time 502 after the phenomenon corresponding to a certain situation is started, the pedal position 503 and the stepping pressure 504 when the time elapses are recorded in a tabular form. have.

As described above, the pedal position 503 and the stepping pressure 504 are expressed by an integer value of 2 bytes, that is, an integer of 0 to 65535. The elapsed time is a multiple of the minimum unit of the predetermined time (for example, the interval of screen update in the game device 301 or the interval of vertical synchronous interrupt of the monitor connected to the information processing apparatus 100, etc.), and also It is expressed as an integer.

It is preferable to record the data when the pedal position 503 or the stepping pressure 504 changes rapidly at minute time intervals. Therefore, the elapsed time of the data row corresponding to the case where such a sudden change occurs, and the row before and after the data is made shorter than the elapsed time of the data row and the row before and after the data that is slowly changing. Accordingly, if a technique such as linear interpolation is applied, the pedal position and the stepping pressure can be obtained even if the elapsed time is not stored in the table.

In the storage unit 303, such a table 501 is stored in various ways for each game situation. Therefore, the DVD-ROM attached to the DVD-ROM drive 108, the RAM 103 for storing data read therefrom, and the like function as the storage unit 303. Moreover, the following are considered as a game situation.

(a) Whether the ABS (Anti-lock Break System) is operating or not.

(b) Whether the tire is locked or not.

(c) unevenness of the road surface.

(d) Friction coefficient of the road surface.

(e) vehicle acceleration.

(f) Whether the brake is fading or not.

(g) Whether or not air is caught in the brake fluid.

(h) Allowance of pedal for each car.

(i) The stroke of the pedal for each vehicle (maximum stepping amount).

(j) A coefficient representing the magnitude of the repulsive force for each vehicle.

Although these data are data of a car traveling in a virtual world, a more realistic brake operation feeling can be obtained by constructing the data based on data when the same phenomenon occurs in a real car.

The storage unit 303 also corresponds to the game situation, and further stores in advance the " pedal position and stepping pressure " and braking force information of the braking force at that time. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of braking force information stored in the storage unit 303. A description with reference to the drawings below.

The braking force information is stored in a tabular form as in the table 601 for each game situation, similar to the time change information. In general, there is a certain relationship between the pedal position and the stepping pressure. When the braking force is obtained, the relationship between the "pedal position and the stepping pressure" and the "braking force" is not considered. If either one of the relation of "or the relationship between" pressing pressure "and" braking force "is considered, the approximation of sufficient precision is often obtained. As a matter of course, a table may be constructed in consideration of the relationship between "both the position of the pedal and the stepping pressure" and the "braking force", and the braking force may be obtained as described later. As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, only the relationship between the pedal position 602 and the braking force 603 is stored in each row in the table 601. The positions of the pedals are divided into 65536 steps as described above, and the relationship with the braking force may be recorded for all of them, or may be stored in a table in an interpolated form by selecting appropriate values, and the amount of data to be saved may be reduced.

3 and 4, the processing after the game method of the present embodiment is disclosed in the game device 301 prepared as described above will be described. First, the acquisition unit 304 acquires the current game situation (step S401). As the situation of the game, the above is considered, and either table 501 is selected from the storage unit 303.

Then, it is determined whether or not the status of the new game is started (step S402), and when the status of the new game is started (step S402; Yes), the timer for measuring the time since the game status is started is cleared (step S403). ), A table 501 of either time-lapse information is selected from the storage unit 303 according to the game situation acquired in step S401 (step S404). Similarly, the table 601 of either braking force information is selected from the storage unit 303 (step S405). On the other hand, when the situation of the conventional game is maintained (step S402; No), the timer is updated (step S406), and the elapsed time is advanced.

The acquisition unit 304 then acquires the current elapsed time from the timer (step S407). In addition, about the structure of a timer, various well-known techniques may be applied to this structure. For example, prepare an interrupt handler that counts the number of timer interrupts or vertical sync interrupts, and prepare a variable to hold the count value when the game starts, and obtain the elapsed time from the current count value. A technique such as subtracting a value stored in the variable may be employed.

Next, from the table 501 already selected, the values of the pedal position and the stepping pressure at the current elapsed time are obtained (step S408). Therefore, the CPU 101 functions as the acquisition unit 304 in cooperation with the RAM 103. If the current elapsed time is not described directly in the table 501, the row before and after the corresponding elapsed time is searched in the table 501, and the position of the pedal and the stepping pressure are obtained by linear interpolation or the like. .

Subsequently, the control unit 305 receives the status information transmitted from the brake controller 201 via the connection unit 302 (step S409). As described above, the position information and the stepping pressure of the pedal are designated in step 65536 as described above.

And obtain the difference between the pedal position of the situation information and the acquired pedal position and the stepping pressure of the situation information and the obtained stepping pressure (step S410) and minimize them as much as possible. The repulsive force to be given to the brake controller 201 is determined (step S411). In the following, various techniques, such as those based on the classical control method and those based on the modern control theory, are considered to calculate the repulsive force. One example will be described below.

In the present embodiment, the value input to the brake controller 201 is electric power to be supplied to the pump of the pressure unit 205. On the other hand, the value output from the brake controller 201 is two pieces of information: the position of the pedal and the stepping pressure. From the table 501, the target values of the pedal position and the stepping pressure are obtained.

As described above, in step S410, the difference between the target value and the actual value is obtained with respect to the pedal position and the stepping pressure. So first of all,

(a) The sum after multiplying each of the obtained differences by a predetermined positive coefficient.

(b) the sum of the squares of the differences obtained, multiplied by a predetermined positive coefficient,

To get the figures. In addition, either of these values is multiplied by a positive integer or integrated to make the feedback value. The feedback value is then subtracted from the power obtained by the previous iteration. Accordingly, proportional control, integral control, or proportional integral control can be performed.

The braking unit 306 obtains the braking force specified in correspondence with the position of the current pedal specified in the situation information received in step S409 from the table 601 of the braking force information selected in step S403 (step S421). At this time, similarly to the acquisition section 304, if necessary, the braking section 306 obtains the braking force value by techniques such as linear interpolation.

The acceleration of the vehicle moving the course in the virtual world is calculated from the braking force (step S422). The acceleration of the vehicle is determined by various parameters such as the current state of the engine of the vehicle, the frictional resistance of the road surface, and the road surface situation. Will be calculated. In other words, the CPU 101 functions as the brake unit 306 in cooperation with the RAM 103.

In addition, in this embodiment, the inertia unit 308 determines whether or not the magnitude of acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold value (step S431), and if it exceeds (step S431; Yes), the inertial force is set in correspondence with the acceleration in advance. (Step S432). This inertia force may be stored in the storage unit 302 in advance by determining the inertia force for each acceleration as in Tables 501 and 602. However, since the inertia force is generally intended to transmit an impact to the player, You may do it. Moreover, you may make it proportional to acceleration. The inertial force acquired in step S432 is added to the repulsive force calculated in step S411 (step S433). According to the embodiment, the inertial portion 308 and steps S431 to S433 may be omitted.

In addition, the electric power corresponding to the obtained repulsive force is specified in the command information and transmitted to the brake controller 201 via the connection portion 302 (step S412). In this way, the CPU 101 functions as the control unit 305 in cooperation with the interface 109 and the brake controller 201.

The display unit 307 updates the speed of the car from the calculated acceleration (step S423) and also updates the position of the car (step S424). Multiplying the calculated acceleration by the time unit yields an increase in speed, and multiplying the calculated speed by the time unit yields a change in position. Thus, the area for storing the position information and the speed information of the vehicle in advance in the RAM 103. In this step, the movement of the car in the virtual world is expressed by appropriately updating the value of the corresponding area.

The display unit 307 displays the current vehicle position, the current vehicle speed, and the current pedal position and braking force on the screen (step S425), and returns to step S401. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the screen display of such a racing game. A description with reference to the drawings below.

On the screen 701, the map information 702 indicating the position of the vehicle in the course is displayed superimposed on the background 703 showing the appearance of the outer world 704 from the driver's seat of the vehicle. Map information 702 shows the shape of the course set in advance in the virtual world and the position of the car in the course in two dimensions. By looking at this, the player can determine where the car he is driving is in the course. Able to know.

Background 703 shows a view of the outer space 704 from the driver's seat of the vehicle. The extraterrestrial 704 is composed of polygons of roads and various objects arranged around the course of the virtual world, and the group of polygons is viewed from the position of the vehicle. It is displayed in three-dimensional graphics. As described above, various techniques can be applied to the image generation by the three-dimensional graphics.

In addition, the screen 701 displays a speedometer 705 for displaying the speed of the vehicle, a pedal system 706 for displaying the current position of the pedal, a braking dynamometer 707 for displaying the magnitude of the current braking force, and the like. . These various numerical displays may be assigned different colors for each of a predetermined range of values, and the display color may change as the value increases. In addition, numerical display is performed on the screen 701. The information may be provided to the player by a bar graph, a pie graph, and a metric graph used in a real vehicle.

In addition, when the driver presses or releases the brake pedal, the driver's viewpoint and gaze for the vehicle change. Instead of the pedal system 706, a technique of moving the entire screen display up and down in accordance with the pedal position value may be employed. In the three-dimensional graphics, the position of the viewpoint may be changed, and the position of the viewpoint is fixed to a predetermined position in the vehicle, and a screen display is generated. In addition, it is also possible to employ a method of expressing up and down movement by transmitting.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the brake type controller is used to control the repulsive force of the pedal based on the pedal position and the stepping pressure information transmitted therefrom, so that the driver feels as if he is driving a real automobile. Can be given to the player.

As described above, according to the present invention, a game apparatus for controlling the repulsive force using information on the position of the pedal and the stepping pressure, a game method, a program for realizing these by a computer, and a computer-readable information recording medium recording the program. Can be provided.

Claims (12)

In the game device comprising a connection unit, a storage unit, an acquisition unit, and a control unit, The connecting portion can be communicatively connected to a "controller which transmits the status information specifying the current pedal position and the stepping pressure and receives the command information." The storage unit corresponds to the game situation to store in advance the time change information of the pedal position and the stepping pressure, The acquiring unit corresponds to the current game situation to acquire the prestored time change information, The control unit generates command information from the position and stepping pressure of the pedal specified in the acquired time change information and the current position and stepping pressure of the current pedal specified in the situation information received from the connected controller. Game device, characterized in that for transmitting to the controller through. The method of claim 1, The control unit should give the pedal such that the difference between the position and the stepping pressure of the pedal specified in the acquired time change information and the current position and the stepping pressure of the current pedal specified in the situation information received from the connected controller becomes small. And calculating command force and transmitting command information for designating the calculated force as a repulsive force of the pedal to the controller through the connection unit. The method of claim 2, It is provided with a braking part and a display part further, The storage unit corresponds to the game situation, and further stores in advance "brake position and stepping pressure" and braking force information of the braking force at that time, The acquiring unit additionally acquires the pre-stored braking force information in response to the current game situation, The braking unit obtains a designated braking force corresponding to the current pedal position and stepping pressure specified in the situation information from the braking force information, and calculates an acceleration of an object moving the virtual world from the braking force. And the display unit moves the object in the virtual world by the calculated acceleration, and displays the object on the screen by the moved position. The method of claim 3, wherein The display unit game device, characterized in that for displaying on the screen the virtual world with the position of the object moved. The method of claim 4, wherein And the display unit moves the position of the viewpoint up and down according to the position of the current pedal specified in the context information, and displays the virtual world on the screen. The method according to claim 3 or 4, Further provided with inertia, When the magnitude of the calculated acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the inertia unit corresponds to the acceleration in advance to acquire a set inertia force, And the controller designates the sum of the calculated force and the acquired inertia force as the repulsive force of the pedal when the inertia force is acquired. In a game method for communicating with a controller comprising a receiving step, an obtaining step, a control step, and a sending step, In the receiving step, the status information transmitted from the controller is received, which specifies the current pedal position and the stepping pressure. In the acquiring step, the time change information stored in advance in correspondence with the current game situation, and the designation of the pedal position and the stepping pressure are acquired. In the control step, command information is generated from the position and stepping pressure of the pedal specified in the acquired time change information, and the current position and stepping pressure of the current pedal specified in the situation information received from the controller. And transmitting the generated command information to the controller. The method of claim 7, wherein In the control step, the force is calculated such that the difference between the position and the stepping pressure of the pedal specified in the acquired time change information and the current position and the stepping pressure of the current pedal specified in the situation information received from the controller is reduced. And command information for designating the calculated force as a repulsive force of the pedal. A computer having a connection that can be communicatively connected with a "controller which transmits the status information specifying the current position of the pedal and the stepping pressure and receives the command information" can function as a connection part, a storage part, an acquisition part, and a control part. In the program, The program is on the computer, The storage unit corresponds to the game situation to store in advance the time change information of the pedal position and the stepping pressure, The acquiring unit acquires the previously stored time change information by corresponding to the current game situation, The control unit generates command information from the position and stepping pressure of the pedal specified in the acquired time change information and the current position and stepping pressure of the current pedal specified in the situation information received from the connected controller. Program to function to transmit to the controller through. The method of claim 9, The program is on the computer, The controller calculates a force such that the difference between the position and the stepping pressure of the pedal specified in the acquired time change information and the position and the stepping pressure of the current pedal specified in the situation information received from the connected controller is reduced. And transmitting command information specifying the calculated force as a repulsive force of the pedal to the controller through the connection unit. A computer having a connection that can be communicatively connected with a "controller which transmits the status information specifying the current position of the pedal and the stepping pressure and receives the command information" can function as a connection part, a storage part, an acquisition part, and a control part. In a computer-readable information recording medium recording a program, The program is on the computer, The storage unit corresponds to the game situation to store in advance the time change information of the pedal position and the stepping pressure, The acquiring unit acquires the previously stored time change information by corresponding to the current game situation, The control unit generates command information from the position and stepping pressure of the pedal specified in the acquired time change information and the current position and stepping pressure of the current pedal specified in the situation information received from the connected controller. And a computer readable information recording medium for transmitting to the controller via the controller. The method of claim 11, The program is on the computer, The controller calculates a force such that the difference between the position and the stepping pressure of the pedal specified in the acquired time change information and the position and the stepping pressure of the current pedal specified in the situation information received from the connected controller is reduced. And transmitting command information for designating the calculated force as a repulsive force of the pedal to the controller through the connection unit.